STATEMENT BY CAROL HILL ALBERT,

CO-OWNER OF ASTROLAND AMUSEMENT PARK

I am making this statement today to set the record straight. I have not "given

up on Coney Island" as Thor Equities has stated. I have given up on trying to

get Thor to negotiate which I have attempted to do every month since June, and

numerous times in August.

Each time their response was, "We have no answer." The safety of our customers

and our commitment to employees means our time has run out. Ride parts must be

ordered a minimum of eight to 10 months in advance. My employees cannot live in

a state of limbo any longer. It takes six months to pack up a three-acre

amusement park that has been in operation for 46 years, so a January 31st

deadline means start packing yesterday. We are out of time.

Today I notified Astroland's employees that the amusement park will cease

operations permanently at the end of the day on Sunday, September 7th.

Many in the community had hoped along with us that Astroland could remain open

to keep the lights on in Coney Island until the rezoning issue had been

resolved, because carnival rides, as the "Summer of Hope" sadly proved, are no

substitute for a permanent amusement park. However, when even our good friend,

Councilman Domenic Recchia could do nothing to persuade Thor to negotiate, it

became clear we had no choice but to close the business permanently on Sunday

night, September 7th.

Coney Island's future as a tourism and amusement destination is clearly in

peril. Thor equities, which now owns most of Coney Island, came onto the

development scene showing beautiful renderings of this great 21st century

amusement park they were promising to build. All indications however, are that

their real priority is retail and high end housing. There is a real question

as to whether Coney Island will ever have amusements, other than the Cyclone and

the Wonder Wheel in its future. Instead it appears to be that a series of

shopping malls and condos will replace amusement parks as the centerpiece of the

Coney Island that has been here for over 100 years. This is a tragic loss for

the City of New York and visitors around the world.

Astroland Kiddie Park and the Cyclone Roller Coaster will open for the last

weekend on Friday, Sept 5 at 12:00 noon. Major thrill rides will open at 4 p.m.

On Saturday and Sunday, all attractions will open at 12:00 noon.

We invite all New Yorkers to come to Astroland this weekend to bid farewell to

this historic icon.

And we look forward to seeing many of our loyal patrons on opening day for the

Cyclone roller coaster, Sunday April 5, 2009.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=206...&refer=muse

They better save the Cyclone. It's a National Historic Landmark and I've never ridden it.

The Cyclone, as has been stated many times here, is not owned by Astroland, but is instead owned by The City of New York, and is on the National Register. Since it is government owned and on the register, it will almost certainly be preserved. It is merely leased to Astroland for operation.

Yey! It is sad to see such a historic location closed down though.

I have never been to Coney Island.

It makes me sad to see it go, I hate the fact that I never got a chance to experience it.

Certainly sad to see such a classic amusement park close. Definitely closing another chapter in the history books.

On a positive note: Cyclone remains!

And don`t forget that Cincinnati`s Coney Island borrowed its name from the park in New York. In 1886, Parker`s Grove was renamed "Ohio Grove: The Coney Island of the West" and officially opened on June 21, 1886. The following season, the Ohio Grove name was dropped and the park was simply called "Coney Island".

Its sad to see that Astroland is finally meeting its demise. Although I never visited the park, it seems as if it is a mere shadow of its former self when there were more parks operating at the location than just Astroland.

Uh...there still are...there's Wonder Wheel Park and the Coney Island Sideshow/midway, neither of which is associated with Astroland...

A somewhat different view of things:

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/...e/index.html?hp

But not the big major parks like Luna Park, etc.

http://www.brooklynpaper.com/stories/31/36..._astroland.html

It's sad to see a park like this disappear over something like this.

I hate this.Ok,Geauga Lake,Lesourdesville Lake,Idora park,Chippewa lake park,Fantasy farm,Conneaut Lake park..All their left in OH is Strickers Grove,to getaway from the big packed amusement parks.Its like most parks that has "lake" or "park" In it,dissapears.Very Very sad.

Coney's (NY) Carnival For Sale On Web:

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2008/09/07...l_for_sale.html

^Anybody here have enough money to buy all that stuff?

I wanna Buy the waky worm and put it in my backyard.

Thery can't do that this historical landmark should be opened for generations to come to Coney Island in NYC I was in new York 10 years ago and I didn't have time to go to Coney Island now i can't go this is a end of New York history as we know it.

Marcia

In the Coney Island (NY) area, ONLY the Cyclone and Deno's Wonder Wheel are historical landmarks. Even then, that is little protection unless the property is government owned, which the Cyclone is. All that stands between a private owner and destroying a historic landmark is the loss of favorable tax treatment. That's all.

No more Astroland:

http://www.wnbc.com/news/17413447/detail.html

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/brookl...f__sand_-1.html

^^This might sound mean, but people should be happy they got this season since last year it was supposed to close!!

Either way, in life nothing lasts forever as sad as that sometimes is.

Astroland Gets Shot At Second Life?

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/brookl...fe_as_of-1.html

Goodbye Astroland, Or Maybe Not...

http://www.brooklynpaper.com/stories/31/36...6_mm_coney.html

Let's hope that Astroland gets saved, and if not may it rest in peace.

And let's hope that the Cyclone continues it's long life!

Development Plans May Change Look and Feel of Coney Island (NY):

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/brookl...ook_and_fe.html

Ital selling the rides:

http://www.businesstn.com/content/200809/astro-slide

Astroland Hope (Opinion from New York Post):

http://www.nypost.com/seven/11172008/news/...hope_139140.htm

http://www.brooklynpaper.com/stories/31/47...ney.html?comm=1

So is there any real hope anymore for Astroland?

The short answer is no one knows. The Cyclone is almost certainly safe, as is the Wonder Wheel. After that, no one truly knows.

I hope to ride Cyclone when I go back to New York, so I hope it's saved. Then again, I'll be going back once the Freedom Center is done, so it might be a while.....